Gianfranco Zola is under fresh scrutiny at Birmingham after it emerged his popular predecessor Gary Rowett was sacked for upsetting the club's Chinese owners.

Rowett's axing from Birmingham in December with the club seventh, just outside the Championship play-offs on goal difference after beating Ipswich, stunned football.

Zola was named Rowett's successor less than six hours later adding to grievances that Brum's former player had been ruthlessly knifed.

Zola has since not won in 10 matches ahead of Fulham's visit in the Championship today.

The Italian will be given time to turn around the 12th-placed club's slump despite a tough start to life at St Andrews.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

But the restless mood among fans will not be helped to learn Rowett,42, was sacked after offending the club's new Chinese owners Trillion Trophy Asia Limited (TTAL), who took over in October.

TTAL offered Rowett a new contract with a pay-rise.

They were concerned at learning Rowett had been offered jobs at Championship rivals Fulham and QPR during his tenure at St Andrews.

QPR were persistent in chasing Rowett both when Chris Ramsey was sacked and after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink went in November.

With increasing interest in their boss, TTAL wanted to offer Rowett the 'gift' of a new contract as a gesture of goodwill.

Rowett refused to sign a new deal at St Andrews (Image: Birmingham Mail)

Ahead of January, when they planned to invest up to £11m in new players, they also wanted assurances from Rowett on his future.

But ambitious Rowett, who penned a 12-month rolling contract in January 2016, turned the deal down.

He was content to see how his relationship with the club's new owners unfolded and remain on his existing contract.

But the Chinese were offended and decided to sack Rowett as a point of principle for snubbing them as their trust in him started to erode.

The revelation behind Rowett's demise will frustrate Blues fans unhappy at his exit after chanting his name since.

Ex-Blues defender Rowett, who left Burton to replace Lee Clark in October 2014, won 42 of his 106 games after keeping Blues up and turning them into play-off contenders despite inheriting a team in the drop zone.

Zola has been promised time (Image: Nathan Stirk)

Birmingham director Panos Pavlakis said at the time of Rowett's dismissal: “I would ask that our supporters trust our judgement and look forward to and embrace the future as we begin to implement the exciting vision of TTAL."

But frustrated fans booed the team off after the midweek loss at home to Reading and tensions are sure to rise if they fail to win again today after bringing in seven players in January.

Kerim Frei, Cheick Keita, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Emilio Nsue all joined on permanent deals with Jerome Sinclair and Krystian Bielik arriving on loan. Craig Gardner joined for the rest of season on loan with a view to a permanent deal.